Sachin's retirement from ODIs marks the end of an era

Friday , December 28, 2012 at 13 : 06

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has decided not to play One Day cricket any more. He will continue rendering his services to cricket in the form of Test appearances. Just moments before the selectors were to name the squad for the series against Pakistan, Tendulkar informed the Board's President about his decision.

He leaves behind a colossal record that will be virtually impossible for future generations to break. It's the end of an era.

Twenty three years back, a young Tendulkar made his debut in Gujranwala against Pakistan and rest, as we all know, is history. In India, cricket is religion and Sachin has been our god. India has very few sports legends like Milkha Singh in athletics, Dhyan Chand in hockey and Sachin in cricket. He has been and always will be a precious gem of our country.

Sachin Tendulkar re-defined the art of opening One Day innings. He mercilessly brutalised the best attacks of his era and did so around the world. He made more runs and hundreds that any other One Day batsman. He made the most runs in World Cup history. He also made the first ever double hundred in One Day cricket too.

We have grown up watching his marvellous batting. I have missed so many of my classes for watching his matches. Whenever India won a cricket series, we used to burst crackers to celebrate the win and more often than not Sachin was the angel who brought us this joy. The master blaster had this effect not only on me but the entire nation. I have seen people crowding outside TV showrooms, restaurant and pubs to see the legend in action. People who couldn't watch the match, would be glued to their phones and radios to hear the great exploits of Sachin.

So many memories....When I was a kid I used to put Sachin's sticker on my text book. His poster was on my room's wall. I still have so many videos and pictures of Sachin on my computer. I have even broken a few windows in my colony trying his shots. Those pictures, those stickers, my cricket bat...memories of Sachin will forever live in my heart. He will be my hero forever.